HHS Yoga Club

DATE: 01-20-2016

January 20, 2016- There is a newly formed yoga club at Hartford High School this year! It consists of approximately twenty members, which is an awesome turn out. The club meets on Wednesdays during H-Block A, B, and C in Mrs. Nelson’s classroom (Room 113). Members are free to come and go as they please, they are just reminded to please stay quiet so others can focus. The club was an idea of Lillian Duda (Class of ‘16) and Ali Davis (Class of ‘17), and we all thank them very much. Our certified yoga instructor is Diane Barbara Leone, a Hartford alumna.

Diana’s goal is “to liberate students physically, mentally and even spiritually.” She wants to make the students aware of their strength and importance as beings on this divine earth and use yoga as a tool to lead them through our life journey. “High School can be really difficult for many reasons, a pain in the butt for lack of a better term, and I want everyone to know that there’s a healthy & progressive way to reflect & detach without worrying about getting in trouble or dulling your mind.”

Diana said that she wanted the kids to feel like they have a healthy outlet because, “I know how much it helped me as a high schooler and spreading that kind of awareness among you guys brings me so much happiness.” She also explained how there are not many activities in this world connect the body, mind, and spirit. “I think doing this is important.”

Alexis Nelson, teacher advisor of the club, stated, “I wanted to support this club because I believe that the empowerment of individuals is my number one goal as a teacher.” She also thinks that yoga empowers students because, “It is a practice that helps us to slow down and check in with our bodies and our thoughts.” I asked what yoga does for her and she said, “I feel that time spent doing yoga is a gift to oneself in that one is devoting full focus and reflection on his or herself.” She also found that studies show that yoga increases student concentration, self-esteem and even GPAs. Another comment that Nelson had was, “Yoga equips students with a skill and a practice that they can carry with them into their lives as adults, which is the ultimate goal of every high school education.”